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Cricket: O'Brien inspires Warriors past Strikers

Play Master Warriors all rounder Kevin O'Brien

Play Master Warriors all rounder Kevin O'Brien bowls against Mahadev Strikers batter Lucas Oluoch during Swaminarayan Pro20 tournament at Shree Cutchi Leva Samaj Patel cricket grounds on on November 1, 2022.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

By  Victor Otieno  &  Chris Omollo

What you need to know:

  • Strikers won the toss and elected to bat first, posting 156 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs of their innings
  • O’Brien from Ireland, who was the third batsman led Warriors in successfully chasing that target as they slammed 157 runs for the loss of two wickets in 17.1 overs of their innings
  • Warriors, Strikers, Hari Om Titans, Mombasa Cement Giants and Mafuko Mavericks are now tied on two points each



All-rounder Kevin O’Brien was on blistering form as Play Master Warriors Tuesday night defeated Mahadev Strikers by eight wickets in the Swaminarayan Pro20 tournament at Shree Cutchi Leva Patel Samaj grounds in Nairobi.

It was a sweet win for the Warriors who are being led by Kenya international Shem Ngoche, as they lost by 71 runs to Mombasa Cement Giants in their opening match of the six-team tournament held Sunday night.

The matches are being played under floodlights.

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Strikers won the toss and elected to bat first, posting 156 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs of their innings.

O’Brien from Ireland, who was the third batsman led Warriors in successfully chasing that target as they slammed 157 runs for the loss of two wickets in 17.1 overs of their innings. He was not-out, hitting 93 runs from 57 balls with an impressive six fours and five sixes to be crowned the man-of-the-match.

O’Brien also took one wicket when Strikers’ Tanzeel Sheikh was caught by Hiren Kerai off his bowling.

Warriors had started the chase on a disappointing note after opener Manish Kerai was dismissed for a duck in the first over when he was caught by Sheikh off Rikesh Hirani bowling. Kerai’s opening partner Shubham Jadhav who was sent to the pavilion in the 14th over slammed 47 runs from 37 balls with three fours and the same number of sixes.

Francis Mutua took two wickets for Warriors- his casualties being Strikers’ openers Krishna Katukala and Pushkar Sharma in the first and fifth overs respectively.  Thisara Perera who was caught and bowled-out by Zahid Abbas in the 14th over top-scored for Strikers with 63 runs off 30 balls with six fours and five sixes. Chirag Sisodia who was trapped led before wicket by Mahendra Siyani two overs later scored 36 runs from 39 balls including three fours for Strikers.

Warriors, Strikers, Hari Om Titans, Mombasa Cement Giants and Mafuko Mavericks are now tied on two points each. But Giants have a game in hand. They will clash with bottom-placed Purple Dot Ndovus Wednesday night from 7:15pm. Ndovus have also played one match.

The tournament expected to end on November 12 is being played in round robin format with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals.

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